Coming off the last release, I want to give an update to everyone about what my greater plans for release will be. In the last two releases, I made some major changes to the game with the animation format rework and the navigation rework. I’ve got two more major changes planned for the game but I’ve decided to work on those in the background and not try to finish those in a single update. I don’t want to have another extended development time between updates, so I’ll spread out development on these major changes over a couple or a few updates so I can keep the ball rolling.

So what are these major changes that I have planned? The first one is a change to how actions are performed in the video making minigame. Currently, players are able to perform whatever action they want, whenever they want, and with high stats and challenge mode perks the game can last a very long time. My idea is to convert that part of the minigame to a card game format, where players will create a deck (or use a default deck), with each card being an action they can perform. Deck size will limit the number of actions that can be performed in each video, fixing the problem of a never ending video when girls are in the end game. It will also make your choices more strategic, both when choosing an action to play and when assembling a deck. I’ve started work on this system so it will be the next major change that is added to Harmony Girls.

Next is an overhaul of the entire interface for the game. I’m a back end programmer with no prior experience in UI development or graphic design. The UI I’ve created for the game was only meant to be temporary until I felt like the evolving gameplay was nearly complete. It was a good idea to do that, as the gameplay of Harmony Girls has shifted dramatically since the earliest versions and will continue with the card game update. Once things are nearly locked in for the base gameplay, I’ll be commissioning someone who is far more knowledgeable in UI to help improve the existing flow of the interface as well as create custom templates to make the UI much prettier. I’m well aware that the UI is a weak point and doesn’t represent the quality that the rest of the game delivers. With this change, the weakness will be remedied and Harmony Girls will look like a more professional product.

So how long will we be waiting for new releases to the game? I’m not too sure if I’m being honest. It will depend on how much time I spend on major changes and how much content I plan for each update. Some updates may be smaller and others may require more content to fill out. If I’m getting close to finishing a feature, that update cycle may run longer so I can complete it and spend the time testing it. I don’t like to commit to time frames because it adds unnecessary stress which can lead to burnout, limits content I can put out in an update, and can lead to sub-optimal releases with more bugs. For supporters, you all will get a better idea of progression for each version in the development updates I put out every week.

I’m glad I could keep everyone informed about my future plans and I’ll keep you all updated with any major changes as development continues. Thanks for tuning in and thanks for your interest in the development of Harmony Girls!